Figure 3.2.6.4[White to move]

Here is the most famous of all windmills, delivered by Carlos Torre against Emanuel Lasker in 1925. Again a short setup is necessary. White plays 1. Bf6, dramatically sacrificing his queen to 1. …QxQ. The sacrifice is justified by the pattern the move creates: his bishop and rook are trained on the square in front of Black's king, which has a small range of motion. The windmill is ready to turn: 2. Rxg7+, and Black has to play 2. …Kh8; meanwhile White has moved his rook into his bishop’s path, readying a discovered check against Black’s king in its new position. We have seen this before. Since Black’s king has no squares except g8 and h8, White now can move his rook to and fro, repeatedly giving check and inflicting terrible losses as he goes. He starts with the customary liquidation of Black’s seventh rank, discovering check with 3. Rxf7. From there the moves went 3. …Kg8; 4. Rg7+, Kh8; 5. RxB+, Kg8; 6. Rg7+, Kh8; 7. Rg5+, Kh7; 8. RxQ, and White won.